Automatic WooCommerce Invoices When an Order Is Completed

5 November 20266 min readAccounting & Invoices

In short: WooCommerce doesn’t create invoices – an order confirmation e-mail is not an invoice. In many shops someone retypes orders into invoicing software every day. You can automate that: the invoice is created when the order reaches a chosen status, such as “Completed”, gets a correct number and reaches the customer by e-mail and in their account. Below we explain when to issue an invoice, what it must include and how to set it up step by step.

Does WooCommerce create invoices?

No. WooCommerce has order e-mails, but no invoices, document numbering or VAT ID field. So shops usually take one of three routes:

issue invoices by hand in separate software,
connect the shop to an external invoicing service,
issue invoices directly in the shop, from the order data.

The third route has one big advantage: the invoice is created from exactly the data the customer entered at checkout, so nothing has to be retyped.

When should an online shop issue an invoice?

VAT rules differ by country, but they usually allow some flexibility. In Poland, for example, an invoice is generally issued no later than the 15th day of the month after the month of supply. In practice, shops choose the moment that fits their process:

When	Good for	Watch out for
After payment (“Processing”)	The customer gets the invoice right after paying	A cancelled order will need a credit note
After fulfilment (“Completed”)	The invoice matches what was actually shipped	The customer waits until dispatch
Manually, on request	Few invoice orders, mostly consumers	Easy to miss one

The most common choice is “Completed” – the invoice matches what actually left the warehouse, so credit notes are rare.

Issue date vs. date of supply

An invoice carries two dates. The issue date is the day the invoice is created; the date of supply is the day of delivery or payment. When invoices are created automatically at a status, the date of supply can be, for example, the date the order was completed or paid.

What must an invoice from a shop include?

A VAT invoice typically includes:

the issue date and a sequential, unique number,
seller and buyer details – and the buyer’s VAT ID for business sales,
the date of supply, if it differs from the issue date,
the description, quantity and net unit price of goods or services,
the VAT rate and net, VAT and gross totals broken down by rate.

If you’re VAT exempt, the document shows an exemption note instead of VAT rates.

Gap-free invoice numbering

An invoice number must be sequential and unique within its series. In a shop where several orders can be completed in the same second, that’s not as simple as it sounds. A good solution:

uses a number pattern, e.g. INV/{n}/{MM}/{YYYY}, giving INV/12/11/2026,
lets you restart numbering every month, every year or never,
locks the number while the invoice is being issued, so two orders never get the same number,
lets you continue numbering from your previous software.

How does the customer get the invoice?

It’s most convenient for the customer and for you when the invoice is:

attached to the WooCommerce e-mail, e.g. “Completed order”,
downloadable in My Account next to the order,
in the language the customer shopped in – buy on the English version of the shop, get an English invoice.

The customer downloads the PDF invoice next to the order in My Account.

How to set up automatic invoices in WooCommerce, step by step

WooCommerce has no invoices, so you need a plugin. We’ll show it with PDF Invoices, Credit Notes & KSeF for WooCommerce.

Step 1: enter your company details

Go to WooCommerce → Invoices → Settings and enter the details printed in the “Seller” box: name, address, VAT ID, bank and account number, and a footer.

Your company details: printed in the “Seller” box on every invoice.

Step 2: choose the look

There are two templates: Aurora with a coloured header bar and Ledger with a classic boxed layout. Add your logo and brand colour, and switch on amount in words and SKU if you need them.

Step 3: set the numbering and the trigger

In the Invoice section, enter the number pattern, choose when numbering restarts and pick the status at which the invoice is issued automatically – e.g. “Completed”. Next to the pattern you can see the number the next invoice will get.

The number pattern with a preview of the next number, the status that triggers the invoice and the e-mails it’s attached to.

Step 4: pick the e-mails and My Account

Choose which WooCommerce e-mails the invoice is attached to, e.g. “Completed order” and “Order details”, and whether customers can download it in their account.

Step 5: check the preview

Tools → Preview shows the invoice built from your latest order. Nothing is saved and no number is used.

An invoice generated from the order: seller and buyer with VAT ID, items, VAT and amount in words.

Things to watch out for

Invoices don’t change. When an invoice is issued, your company details, the buyer and the items are saved into the document. Later changes to the order or settings don’t affect it – which is exactly what the rules require.
Fix mistakes with a credit note. Only the latest document in a series can be deleted, so the numbering never has gaps. See how to issue a credit note in WooCommerce.
Free orders. Decide whether orders with a zero total should get an invoice.
B2B invoices in Poland. Invoices to businesses must go to KSeF. See how to send WooCommerce invoices to KSeF automatically.

Frequently asked questions

Can an order confirmation e-mail serve as an invoice?

No. An order confirmation lacks the elements an invoice requires, such as a sequential number and totals by VAT rate.

Which status is best for issuing invoices?

Most shops use “Completed”, because the invoice then matches what was actually shipped. If customers expect an invoice right after paying, choose “Processing”.

Can I continue numbering from my previous software?

Yes. Just enter the number the next invoice should get.

Can customers download invoices themselves?

Yes. The invoice is available next to the order in My Account and as an attachment to the e-mails you choose.

Do invoices work in a multilingual shop?

Yes. The invoice can follow the order language (WPML, Polylang, TranslatePress) or always use one language of your choice.

PDF Invoices, Credit Notes & KSeF for WooCommerce

Automatic invoices, a credit note for every refund, pro formas, a register with a monthly accountant pack and KSeF sending – straight from your shop. Try it free for 7 days.

Try it free Plugin documentation

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How to Generate Invoices Automatically in WooCommerce When an Order Is Completed

Does WooCommerce create invoices?